Willis retires, new councilman sworn in

UPLAND - Ken Willis attended his last council meeting as a councilman on Monday night.

Willis, who was first elected to the council in 2000, retired and was honored by numerous officials for his years of service to the city.

"It was very nice of you for those comments. Also, so many friends and public officials, thank you very much," Willis said to the guests in the audience and those who recognized him during the meeting.

"This is a bittersweet moment because I'm honored to be standing here next to my friend, and I'm sad he's leaving public service," said San Bernardino County Supervisor Janice Rutherford.

Willis said he will continue supporting the Upland Community Partnership for Youth Development, which he helped form in the mid-1990s.

He said he will also help with the Upland Scheu YMCA.

He will also be traveling with his wife, whom he also thanked during the meeting.

"I want to thank my wife Jane, without whom I would have been watching TV for 12 years," he joked.

Willis also addressed students in the audience.

"This is government at a level you can appreciate and get your hands around if you want to," he said.

Willis will be continuing as president of the San Antonio Water Company board and as president of the West End Consolidated Water Company board.

Newly elected Councilman Glenn Bozar was sworn into office and took his place on the dais during the meeting.

Bozar, who has been known as taxpayer advocate in the city, went to court fighting City Hall over a storm drain fee, utility tax and paramedic fee, and won.

He served on the citizens Budget Oversight Committee in the late 1990s when the city was faced with bankruptcy.

He most recently served on the City Council Advisory Committee and the San Antonio water board.

Bozar echoed Willis' comments about getting involved with the city.

"I got involved through Ken Willis and for councilwoman Sue Sundell," he said. "All those years I got involved with different matters in the city. I continued that involvement and I'm grateful now, here today, to help the city and help the residents."

Mayor Ray Musser was also given the oath of office during the Monday meeting. He was elected mayor in November. He was appointed to the position in March 2011.

All of Musser's children flew into town to show their support for their father.

"It was the best Christmas present my wife, Fern, and I could wish for," he said.

Treasurer Dan Morgan, also re-elected to a second term, was also sworn in during the meeting.

"We have gone through recently some issues, unethical conduct and in fact illegal conduct. I truly believe though that the city of Upland has come out of that in a great fashion and that we are on solid footing and we are making the correct choices," he said.

"I represent responsible fiscal management as your city treasurer, and I always look for sound policies for which we should base our future on."